Minnetonka proposes expanded middle‑school electives after yearlong review

The Minnetonka Public School District presented a package of proposed middle‑school elective courses and a timeline for approval and implementation during the board’s Jan. 20 study session.

District Associate Superintendent Dr. Amy Ladue told the board the proposals grew from roughly 87 initial ideas compiled by teachers, reduced to a consolidated list of 44, and then prioritized using a survey of students in grades 5–7 and their families.

The course proposals are intended to increase student choice and give pupils early exposure to subject areas they might pursue in high school. "From there, all of that data was evaluated, and, that is what resulted in the list of courses that we're gonna be sharing with you tonight," Dr. Ladue said.

Why it matters: The district’s middle‑school program had not been updated since 2007 and was a multi‑year board goal. Staff say the electives are designed both to let students explore interests earlier and to help them identify courses that will prepare them for high‑school pathways.

What the district proposed

- Development process: Teachers generated ideas across the district in 2024, producing about 87 initial proposals that were combined and refined to 44. Teachers then wrote course descriptions that accompanied a fall survey distributed to fifth‑through‑seventh‑grade students and their families; respondents rated each course on a three‑point interest scale and listed top‑five preferences.

- Course types: The proposals include a bank of 16 general electives (including new offerings in English language arts, social studies and science), one art proposal (supplementing existing art offerings), the first set of immersion electives in Spanish and Chinese, and three physical‑education proposals. Some general electives — for example, fashion design and web design — were designed so they could meet fine‑arts standards depending on final curriculum design.

- Student and family interest: Dr. Ladue said students and families largely overlapped in their preferences; she cited animal behavior, fashion design and construction, outdoor learning and forensics among student favorites. She also said, "The financial literacy was the most popular choice by parents." High‑school student advisors told staff which courses they wished had been available earlier, and those responses were incorporated into the prioritization.

Timeline and next steps

Superintendent Law said the district is "optimistic that implementation can happen in 02/2025, although we have not finalized that decision." Staff plan to return to the board in February to ask for formal approval so approved courses can be included in the registration guide; which courses actually run will depend on student registration numbers and staffing availability. Once registrations indicate demand, teachers will be assigned and curricula finalized.

Board members praised the work and asked about articulation with high‑school offerings. One board member noted teachers at both levels have been communicating about ensuring middle‑school electives do not simply duplicate high‑school courses, allowing students to take both when appropriate.

What was not decided

No formal action was taken at the Jan. 20 study session. The board asked staff for the operational timing and indicated it expects a formal approval request in February. The recording does not include a vote or final decision on the proposals.

Speakers quoted in this article spoke during the agenda item on middle‑school electives and are included in the transcript evidence below.

The district plans to publish course descriptions and will update families and students when the board acts on the February agenda.